The Legend of Zelda: Legacy of Hyrule
by Ayla Skyrider
Summary: Centuries ago, the evil was sealed and the land buried. Centuries later, the land comes forth anew from beneath the waves, and the evil rises again... where is the hero who will stop it?
1. Prologue: Beyond the Mist

Although this isn't my first fic, it is my first time trying something with Zelda. The majority of this takes place after the events in Wind Waker, so expect spoilers from any number of Zelda games. Enjoy! )

I own nothing except the characters not owned by Nintendo.

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_I have never died._

_As evil always shadows the world, so I am bound to it, ever fated to drive it back so that it may come again._

_I have had many forms, all inherently the same; they pass and fade like the mists while my soul still lingers between the worlds of spirit and flesh. The evil will not leave, and so I will not._

_It is wearying; a deeper weariness than the sort that is relieved by a simple night's slumber. This is the fatigue of generations, of spirits not allowed to rest. It burns deep within the soul, but I will still continue on. Darkness never sleeps; why should I?_

_It is my fate. Some might see this immortality of sorts as a gift, but it is a curse, a doom that keeps me bound to this world. Perhaps it is my love for the people that live there; perhaps it is my connection to two others also burdened by the same unending fate. Perhaps it is simply my destiny._

_Whatever it is, I cannot walk away from it._

_This night that I fight against endures; for while its physical form is vanquished time and again, its essence lives on in the hearts of men, and will seduce one that listens to its sweet whispers of power, so that he may rise and pull me back into this world once more._

_For while evil may be defeated, it can never truly vanish._

_Now I hear voices; the swirling vapors of the ether are fading. It calls once more._

_I awaken…_

* * *

He had searched for a long time. 

When he had last seen her, she'd flown away… even though he knew her presence was no longer needed, he looked anyway.

Perhaps the only reason he was unimpeded in his search was that he journeyed to where he needed to be, and stopped the spread of evil once more, in three days' short span.

And yet he still could not find her.

Slowly, his horse carried him back to the land he'd left behind so easily, the land that seemed to have no other need for him. Horse and rider passed beneath the cool green shadows of the eternal forest that had no end and no beginning. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw the stump that marked his passage through this land, and now his exit.

A thin finger of light stabbed down through the tree boughs suddenly, lighting up his path far brighter than any ordinary light might have. Without hesitation, he stepped through the light.

Now he was back within familiar woods.

Light sparkled about the air beneath the trees now. He could hear the whispers of magic that floated about this place. The soft murmur of a gently flowing stream brushed his ears, calling him home. He inhaled deeply of the heady, woody scent of this place that he'd known for so long, the place that was now far too small to hold him. He'd seen too much of the outer world to ever be completely comfortable in these woods again.

He could never again lose himself.

Sighing, he guided the horse through the living forest, but paused before a hollow log. There was nothing out of the ordinary here, nothing in particular that should have drawn his attention. Yet some sixth sense gave him hesitation.

Something was wrong.

He realized now that he should have met some of the inhabitants of this forest by now. Yet the child-like people were strangely absent. They could hide themselves well, blending into any leaf and branch with flawless accuracy, but they knew him, and would have no reason to hide.

He hastened his horse's stride. She guided him out of the woods into the home of the forest folk. Once out from under the shelter of the forest branches, he realized it was raining, not gently, but not hard either. The horse trod upon something that squished, then cracked. Curious, he leaned out of the saddle for a closer look – then pulled himself upright, aghast.

He'd walked over a dead body.

Shuddering, he was thankful he could not recognize the face in the rain, which was beginning to increase. A pall of dread settled over him; was this the reason he had seen no one on his way here? He rode down into the village, and was greeted by a scene of carnage.

Small, green-clad bodies lay limp upon the trampled grass. Dark blood stained the purity of the broken plants that had once grown within the village. Upon each face – if it was recognizable – was a look of horror and deep fear. He swallowed hard as he recognized the auburn-haired leader of the forest village. Although the man had been a jerk to him on numerous occasions, he'd never dreamed of such a ghastly end for him… nor wished it upon him.

Blackened stumps were all that remained of once gentle green houses. Only a few had escaped utter ruin. Some were merely smashed; others had been set aflame. The now pouring rain from the heavens, though, had long ago doused the raging fires. The sky itself seemed to be weeping for the senseless death and demolition.

Once he counted the bodies, though, he realized that not the whole village had been slain. It did not seem like it, but there were far too few dead. A spark of hope flared inside him; perhaps some had escaped or were hiding.

Still… if the forest – which had long escaped the attention of the outside world – was so badly destroyed, what must the rest of the land be like? The tiny flame of hope was suddenly smothered under a deluge of fear for the rest of the people in this once peaceful world.

Sopping strands of hair fell into his face; he pushed them aside, but it didn't make much difference. He still could not see further than ten feet into the storm. He took off his soaked cap and wrung it out uselessly. Plopping it back on his matted golden hair, he urged his horse forward through the waterfall of rain. Her hooves sank into the supersaturated ground and pulled up with a sucking noise if she did not move quickly enough. He urged her forward into a faster trot, not quite a gallop. Together they splashed through the ruined village and out of the forest into a wider field.

Once outside, he saw his fears were not unfounded. Trees had been razed to the ground, not even stumps remaining where they had once stood proudly. The brick wall that ran alongside the path had been torn down, and he could see a faint black outline in the distance that looked ragged, as if something had bitten off the top. He knew then that the nearby ranch had not escaped the hand of destruction that had swept this land.

No longer caring, he set the horse to a gallop, plunging ahead in the rain that was falling in buckets from the sky now. Suddenly his horse reared, with the sound of splashing hooves. Looking down, he realized that they were wading across ground that should have been high and dry. Ahead he could see the jagged silhouette of the castle he knew was there, but it did not look the way he remembered it. The horse veered to the side suddenly, and he could see the top of a chunk of stone sticking out above the water. The moat was overflowing, and so was the river to his right. Underneath the deluge from the heavens, the water was slowly rising.

He did not go much further before his horse could no longer walk. She balked from the deeper water, but he urged her forward with gentle pats and a soft kick. Reluctantly, she began to swim. Underwater lay the broken remnants of the drawbridge that had once let in visitors and kept out howling wolves at night.

They reached the farther shore, and the horse could walk once more. Shaking water out of her mane, which was immediately soaked through once more, she continued forward only with further encouragement from her rider. Steel-shod hooves clattered and splashed against the drowning cobblestones that lined the streets of the formerly lively market. Now an ungentle hand had torn down many buildings, and the fountain in the center was shattered and overflowing.

The horse stepped quickly around the destruction, and she hurried towards their ultimate destination: the temple at the edge of town. He rode swiftly up the steps and through dead surroundings to the stairs of the ancient temple. There he dismounted and led his horse into the shelter of the first corridor before running ahead. He burst into a darkened room, the vaulted ceiling no longer illuminated and stretching into shadow. The only light came from a large pedestal in front of a closed doorway. He could see a girl, shivering in her thin soaked dress, kneeling there, praying.

He ran to her, his wet boots slapping against the cold stone floor. She started at the sound, stood, and turned slowly towards him. Her sad eyes told him all that he needed to know. He gathered her close to him, in his arms. She rested her head on his shoulder, and a single tear slid out of her eye, dropping to the floor to mingle with the rest of the dirty puddles of water.

"It is too late," she whispered. "The gods are burying this kingdom forever beneath the waves. The people who survived are ordered to the mountaintops, but I must stay to make sure our destructor does not escape his punishment."

He nodded, stroking her saffron hair gently. He would stay by her side until the end.

She squeezed his hand. "For the people who will live… the gods have taken back their own." For the first time he noticed that the mark was gone from the back of her hand. Without looking, he knew his own would be gone too. Perhaps now, they could rest at last…

"For the future," she murmured.

The water spilled into the temple, rising faster than ever. He held her close as it rose past his waist… to his neck… over their heads…

Two vague figures floating beneath the water were soon lost to the darkness of the depths.

* * *

_The once grand kingdom was buried beneath the waves of the sea. Its history became a story for children. The story became a legend. The legend became a myth. Even the myth was barely remembered until, centuries later, the evil rose again. Once more, a hero appeared to beat it back, this time sealing it with the blade of evil's bane. The seas fell to swallow it up, and the evil was long lost and forgotten as it had been for ages._

_Two thousand years passed in peace. The waters of the great ocean gradually receded over the centuries, finally sinking back to their former levels. Nothing remained aboveground of the mighty kingdom that had been vanquished so many eons ago. The waters had done their work thoroughly… yet perhaps not as thoroughly as it appeared on the surface._

_The people who had survived the flooding left their descendents, hundreds of generations later, to colonize the new land. They had no knowledge of what the land once was._

_They called it… Hyrule._


	2. Chapter 1: The Tomb

Thanks for reviews everyone! I always appreciate it when grammatical errors are pointed out. :) Hope this isn't too long... if it is, let me know, and the next updates will be shorter.

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Jason leaned against his shovel, scrubbing his damp forehead with the sleeve of his shirt. The shovel sank slightly into the rich black earth under his weight. He stood in a large hole that was by now well over his head. A curving tunnel behind him led under the ground and then up. It was the only way he could get back up now, since even by jumping he could not reach the edges of the pit he'd dug.

His fatigue did nothing to dampen the enthusiasm boiling within him, though. He reached out with a gloved hand and touched the hard rock surface he'd uncovered. It was smooth and cold, save for ripples where a huge inscription had been carved. Despite the large amount he'd unearthed – it was as tall as him! – the inscription was still incomplete, and he estimated that three-quarters of it was still underground. The archaeological team considered this a huge discovery and was practically jumping with excitement over it. The team leader – his father – had done a bit of dating on this rock, and he'd discovered it to be over three thousand years old. The rest of the team believed it to be a door to a crypt, and if it was, it would be a key discovery in unearthing the ancient past of this land.

A shadow fell over him, and Jason turned around, looking up to see who it was. All he could see for a moment was the dark silhouette blotting out the sun, but when it jumped down, it resolved itself into the familiar, grinning form of his twin brother.

Despite the fact that they were twins, they could not have been more different. They were both the same height, and lanky teens, but Jason was darkly complexioned, with black hair that he kept cropped short so it didn't have a chance to fall in his eyes. Startlingly green eyes twinkled out at anyone who looked, surprising most with their depth and intelligence, but more often than not with humor on the surface. His square face contrasted sharply with his brother's narrower one, with a long nose and almost delicately elfin features. His blue eyes shone out from beneath his hanging golden hair that he usually never bothered to cut. Although he didn't look it now, his brother was normally serious and contemplative, trusting instincts that were almost always right.

Right now, though, he had a silly grin on his face that mirrored the excitement within Jason. The dark-haired boy clapped his brother on the shoulder.

"Hope you brought a shovel, Link, because I could use the help!"

Link groaned, but obligingly brought out the shovel he carried with him. He hadn't come to help, really, but if it would get the job done faster, he would.

Jason knew this, and grinned. "With both of us, we should be done well before nightfall. Assuming, of course, we don't have to stop for you like we usually do."

Link punched him, not very hard, on the shoulder. Soon clods of black dirt were flying out of the rapidly deepening hole. Their shovels ate away into the earth, bringing more of the stone to light. And still it went further down.

"Jeez, how big is this thing anyway?" Jason asked, panting. As if on cue, his shovel missed stone and struck more dirt instead. Link was in the middle of shoving his down, and pressed too hard. The soil beneath him gave way and he tumbled into a sudden hole that opened beneath the stone slab as the earth slipped.

"Yah!"

Jason reached a hand down into the darkness. "Whoa! Link, you okay down there?"

There was a thud and clank, and then his brother's grime-smeared hand clasped his. Jason pulled his twin up.

"What's down there?" he asked excitedly. "Is it a crypt?"

Link shook his head; he couldn't tell, not without more light.

"Come on then, let's go get a lantern or two!" Jason scrambled up the ladder they'd pulled down into the deep pit with them. Link stayed at the bottom, frowning. Shouldn't they tell the rest of the team first?

"Eh, we should have a bit more information about it for them! It won't hurt to explore a little bit," Jason argued, snatching two lanterns and flint – items always on hand. He slid back down the ladder and lit the lamps, passing one over. Still looking disgruntled, Link followed his twin into the black pit.

Their flickering lanterns illuminated a dank passageway, sides slick with damp. Drops of water echoed through the tunnel, shining briefly in the light before splashing to puddles on the stone floor. Cautiously, the two crept forward until the passage turned sharply to the right. Link held his brother back as Jason took a step forward.

"Whoa!"

Jason was glad he had Link's arm to steady him. Before him a dark pit yawned, right at his feet. Had he taken another step forward, he would have fallen in. He could see his reflection dimly in the half-light, and he realized it was filled to the brim with water.

"Well, at least it's not a bottomless abyss!" he said cheerily. Link's icy stare told his twin that he was in no mood for such jokes.

"Come on. All right, thank you for saving me from a little swim. Not that I would have minded after all the work we've done…" Link socked him again gently. It was time to go; they'd seen enough. Besides, their lanterns' light didn't reach the far side of the pool.

"Okay, okay, we're going." Rather reluctantly, Jason turned and walked back to the hole they'd made and climbed out with Link at his heels. Both were more relieved than they would admit to be back in daylight, with the fresh air about them instead of the stale chill of the tunnel.

Link cheered considerably. Now they had to tell the rest of the team. He dragged his brother away from the pit and out of the hole, running across trampled grass to join the rest of the archaeological expedition at the main site.

"Link! Jason!" A ruddy-faced man, burned brown by many years in the sun, looked up to grin cheerily at them as they raced into the digging area. "How are my boys?" He clapped them both hard on the back so that they winced mockingly. "By the looks on your faces, I think you've got something to show us."

The rest of the team – four or five others, all sun-tanned and heavyset – gathered around them eagerly. Their father's blue eyes twinkled merrily at them as he pushed his black hair out of his eyes, all waiting with bated breath.

Jason paused for a dramatic effect, and then gestured expansively behind him. "This way, good sirs, and we shall lead you to the depths of the earth!" Belying his majestic words, he sprinted off, the rest following laughing behind him.

Link caught up first, outran him, and slid down the ramp of earth they had carefully packed down, the excitement infectious. He came to a halt at the bottom, casually stopping to wait for the others. Jason knew better, but didn't say a word.

His father caught up, panting. "Goodness!" he exclaimed, touching the stone slab with reverence. At the bottom of the hole, it was easily three, perhaps four times his not inconsiderate height. But what drew his gaze was the hole of night below it. From here, the darkness seemed tangible, a living thing that hovered in the pit waiting to swallow any that ventured within. A few of the members of the team murmured uneasily, but his father kept his excited grin.

"Do you realize, if this is a crypt, we could find remains of the people who lived here? We could find whole chapters of the past from this one tomb! This is a treasure trove of history..." He trailed off, breathless at the very thought. "How far in did you go?"

"Uh... not far," said Jason sheepishly. Not wanting to admit they were uneasy at going further, he added more cockily, "We thought we should tell you first." Link shot him a sideways glance. Jason smirked.

"Well done, well done, boys. Light?" Another man handed him a match, and Jason's father lit a lantern. "Down we go!"

Link followed cautiously. There was a pool of water not too far in, after all.

"Oh? How big?" asked his father with interest.

They didn't know. Jason shrugged.

"Big enough that we couldn't see the far side, or the bottom."

"Um-hm." His father was already studying the walls, looking for carvings, engravings, anything that might give them a clue to the past. But the walls were unadorned of anything save slick damp and mold.

"How odd. A tomb might have all sorts of pictures dedicated to those long dead, but this has more of a dungeon feel to it." Link shivered. The air was chill here, and the lantern gave off only light, not heat.

"Ah!" As they turned a corner, they beheld the pool at their feet. His father leaned out and stretched the lantern as far as it would go. Link started in alarm, but his father waved him off as he pulled back.

"There is a far side, not far at all! Do you boys feel like getting wet?"

Neither twin felt like entering the dim, black pool, but the others were watching. Finally Link stripped off his sweat-soaked shirt and boots and dove with barely a splash into the water.

He didn't surface for a moment, and Jason felt a sudden burst of fear. Then his brother popped up suddenly with a yell, splashing everyone. They laughed, but it was the laughter than comes from relief rather than genuine amusement.

"Touch the bottom, eh?" Jason said lightly as he slid in.

Link looked more serious at that. He had dove at least ten feet, he'd thought, and felt no stone floor.

They swam across quickly.

"I'm sending two back for a length of wood to stretch across this!" his father called to them as they pulled themselves, dripping, out of the pool. "Stay there, you don't have any light."

The twins had no intention of moving. Any movement would take them further from that circle of light, and they could not see what was in front of them.

After what seemed like an eternity, but what must have been three minutes, the two men returned, carrying a series of planks and hammer and nails. They put a makeshift bridge together, and his father crossed. He made it, if a bit unsteadily, to the far shore. The light brought a great comfort to them all.

"Ho!" his father said in disappointment. "It looks like a dead end."

Indeed, it looked as if whoever had built the tunnel had suddenly decided to stop and finish it where it was, for there was a solid wall of metal blocking their way, with a hideous face carved into it. Jason fancied he saw its blank eyes glow in the light of their lantern, and he shivered.

"Well, this is something, at least..." his father said, although he was clearly disappointed that it wasn't a crypt after all. "Let's find out if we can somehow bring this out into the light."

He walked over to it and began to run his fingers along the edges, but to his shock, the entire hand went right through!

He jumped back with a bitten-off cry and looked at his hand, then at the wall. "What devilry is this?"

Cautiously, Link leaned forward to touch the grinning wall. His hand slid smoothly through, touching nothing but air. He grimaced at the sight of his arm cut in half, and stepped through quickly.

"Link!" Jason leaped in next to him. As they turned back, they saw the same malicious panel grinning at them. They could hear cries of surprise from the other side.

"I... I think it's just an illusion," said Jason unsteadily.

If it was, it worked both ways, Link pointed out. They should be careful to remember where they came from.

"Dad, it's okay..." called Jason. The other members of the team milled behind as their leader stepped through the wall and vanished – at least, to their sight.

"Stay here," he ordered them, although they couldn't see him. They nodded uneasily but stayed put. The twins' father turned to look where he was, holding the lantern high.

"By the gods...!" They were in a large chamber, with the same hideous face grinning at them from carved tiles all around. A large, evil-looking statue of a bird stood in the center of the room, its beak pointing into shadow. In a circle around it stood unlit torches with skulls for braziers. Further back, just within the edge of their light, a huge head was carved into the wall, its mouth wide open as if to invite visitors into its fathomless depths. A tongue stuck out, forming a rough platform, but too far to reach by jumping.

"This is no tomb," their father breathed. "It's a place of worship, where the creatures of the dark gathered to pay homage to the night."

He went around, holding the lantern high to study the room. "Even so, we can finally find out what the peoples' gods must have been like! Look, let's see if the torches still light..."

An eerie chill raced up Link's spine as the first torch spluttered but caught fire. In the torchlight, the stone bird's eyes glittered, its cruel beak seeming hard as iron. The faces all around leered at them, mocking their efforts to bring light where there was only eternal darkness. It would swallow them, swallow the light, leaving them in shadow forever...

"Link?" asked Jason, and Link blinked. He suddenly realized he was at the edge of the room, standing over another pool filled with water. The face's open mouth loomed before him. Darkness lurked in its depths.

"Hm!" Their father's exclamation of surprise drew both boys away from the void. They both jumped as they saw their father half-in, half-out of the wall. He laughed at their surprise.

"It's another illusion. I checked the panels here, and it seems the faces are meant to hide other passages... This is the only one I've found." He vanished through the wall, and his sons hurried after him.

The panel hid a short passage with a door at its end. The excited archaeologist tried the doorknob, but it rattled and refused to open.

"Locked, a pity..." he sighed. "We'll get a crew here in no time. Goodness, this place is huge! Who knows what's in here, and beyond that other pool...! This is the breakthrough we've been waiting for!"

Jason shivered. He had no wish to explore further in this tomb. His twin seemed to feel the same, although there was an odd look on his face. He looked as if he almost recognized the place... knew what was behind the door.

"Déjà vu?" asked Jason, grinning weakly. Link didn't respond to the jibe.

"Well, maybe not... I mean, how many dark, creepy underground dungeons have we been to?" Again, his humor fell short of his distant twin, and merely sounded flat.

"Ah-ha!" Their father had been rummaging around in a rucksack, and came up with a small bit of metal. "I don't know why I kept a lock-pick, but this will do in a pinch." He started to insert it into the keyhole, but suddenly Link was there beside him, holding his arm gently back.

"Wha... Link?" asked the lanky teen's father in confusion. "Don't you want to see what's inside?"

Link looked uneasy. Perhaps they should wait for the rest of the team, to get proper equipment. After all, they didn't want to damage even a door this old.

"Well... you have a good point." The head archaeologist sighed, looked longingly at the door, but replaced the pick. "Let's go back and report our findings!" Without waiting for the rest of them, he scurried off in excitement.

"At least Dad's happy about this..." Jason mumbled. "Why couldn't it be a nice, cheery place with fairies and bunnies?"

Link jabbed him, not hard, in the arm.


	3. Chapter 2: Shadows and Curses

Glad to see you like it, Opia-fire:) The Shadow Temple was always one of my favorite places in the game. Thanks for the advice about the chapter length. I'm not sure how long the chapters are going to be on average... I always stop where I feel it appropriate, not necessarily where it's long. Lol. Anyway, I hope you keep reading!

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To the rest of the team, however, their father's rambunctious excitement was infectious. Soon the others were just as eager to explore, and hurried off to gather equipment.

Link and Jason looked up almost eagerly as the sun began to set. Surely their father would not want to explore in the dark. Their hopes rose as their father trudged toward them, disappointment palpable about him.

"Well, boys... it looks like this will have to wait until tomorrow. The men are exhausted, and it's getting dark. We'll be starting at dawn, though, so be up before the sun!" With that, he turned and sought out his tent for the night, shouting orders to the rest of the team. The twins struck their tent as far from the dig site as they could.

Later that night, Jason woke with a sudden gasp out of a dark dream that vanished like mist in the sun upon awakening. He could feel his heart pounding in terror, but from what, he could not recall.

The blankets next to him were empty, and one of the lanterns was gone.

Link! Jason shot up out of bed and dressed hurriedly, grabbing the second lantern as he ducked out of the tent. He was forced to light it before he could go on; clouds covered the stars, and there was no moon tonight.

He carefully made his way to the other side of the camp and out towards the dig site. A slight drizzle started as he worked his way downward, towards the dark hole that loomed beneath. Even without the footprints in the damp earth, he would have known where his twin went.

Jason took a deep breath and plunged into the tunnel.

Inside it was eerily quiet; only the soft plink of drops of water echoed throughout the underground passage. He walked over the silent black water and through the leering illusion; the torches his father had lit before were no longer burning, and his lantern was the only light in the tomb of night. Jason shivered, a wild fear coming over him, an urge to escape, to run! Get out of here and back into the living lands once more, leaving his twin to whatever fate the darkness had planned. There was evil here.

But Link was here too, somewhere, in this catacomb of shadows. And he couldn't leave without him.

Shivering in the dank chill that permeated the room, Jason crossed a loosely set plank over the still pool that led into the gaping mouth.

Down into the maw of darkness.

As he descended, it became cooler, but surprisingly, the section wasn't flooded despite being lower down. There must be a drainage place somewhere beneath him, he thought. The darkness pressed around the circle of his lantern, and he huddled within its protective light even as he edged still downwards. He passed through a door already open, following his brother's tracks that he could not see but knew they were there. The corridor began to bend and twist, but didn't branch off; he pushed resolutely ahead as the darkness descended. Suddenly the corridor ended, and he gasped; there was an enormous cavern, so huge his light couldn't reach the ceiling or sides. He stood on a platform that stretched out over a dark, silent lake. Only drops falling from the invisible ceiling high above disturbed its mirror-like surface; however, the water reflected only darkness instead of his light. Jason shivered, and looked out across the cavern. His platform ended shortly, but he could just barely make out another one on the farther shore. Another plank was set there; he crossed quickly and made his way onward.

He had no idea of how many fathomless depths he crossed or how many rooms he went through, each empty, each silent and dark like the rest. Somehow he knew he was getting closer. Suddenly a door opened before him, and he found himself staring at another black lake. But this one was different; the water pooled around shapes that he could not see. Beyond these pseudo-platforms there was a door.

"Another illusion," Jason said aloud to himself. Link was close; he could feel it. Just take that leap of faith...

He backed up slowly, and then abruptly sprinted at the edge. He leaped, catapulting himself into space. The water drew nearer...

And he landed hard in the space where the water opened up. Gasping, he felt the thing beneath his feet. It felt solid, and yet there was nothing he could see, nothing but shadow. He shuddered and made his way across quickly.

The last door opened before him, and there was Link, his brother seeming almost to shine in the darkness that pressed around him.

"Link!" cried Jason with relief. Link whirled, the lantern in one hand, from where he had been staring at a small dark pool in the center of the room. Shock was written across the delicate elfin features of his face.

No! He shouldn't be here...

The words on Jason's lips to reply to Link died as he gazed in horror just behind his twin. From the pool grew a great shadow, even darker than the blackness around it. It expanded to fill the room even as Link turned desperately, making an odd slashing movement with his empty hand. The lantern fell from Jason's numb fingers as darkness descended. Shadow filled his mouth, stopped his eyes and ears, sending him down beneath the earth to rest in the cold tomb forever...

* * *

Link opened his eyes wearily. Something was calling, and he had to go on. He had to live. It was his destiny...

"Link!"

Everything came somewhat into focus, and his father's worried face floated above him. Then the rest of the blur resolved itself, and he realized he was lying in a tent full of warmth. He tried to sit up, but his body refused to respond, so he settled for turning his head. Jason lay next to him, skin pale as death, his chest rising and falling shallowly.

What? Link blinked in confusion. Why had Jason followed him? He remembered vaguely a pool of darkness in the floor, and Jason's arrival, and the rise of the shadow... Light had flared brilliantly for a moment, and then left him in total night. He could not recall walking here.

"We found you at the bottom of the temple," his father said concernedly. "Well, not the bottom, but you were beyond where we'd gone last night: inside the mouth of that head, near the end of its throat. Both of you were lying there unconscious, and your brother..." His father bit his lip, and a wave of guilt washed over Link. Why had he gone down there? In the heat of the tent, so different from the chill grave, he could not remember. Only a sense of danger and foreboding, which still lingered at the edges of his memory, was left.

"We don't know what's wrong with him," his father continued. "He doesn't respond to anything."

Now Link was concerned, and sat up abruptly. He felt his twin's forehead. Cold and damp... like the air of the dungeon. He shivered.

"...have to strike camp." Link suddenly realized his father was still talking. "We'll take Jason home; see if we can find a healer."

Link shook his head. They might lose their site to a competing team, he knew, and his father was torn between his son and his work. No, he was the only one who could fix things. He would go to the largest town, not too far away, and find help.

"What?" his father asked. "You, travel alone? You can barely stand, much less take that kind of journey after what you've been for."

Link threw off the blankets and stood up, feeling renewed strength course through him. Admittedly, his legs refused to satisfy his ego and wobbled a bit, but he stood. The head archaeologist looked at him for a moment, and then smiled sadly.

"I guess you're not really a boy anymore, are you?" he asked, not wanting an answer. "Wait here. I'll round up a few things."

Link used the break to sit down for a bit, not without some relief. He pulled on a pair of pants and his sturdy walking boots. He looked about for a shirt and realized there was none.

His father ducked back into the tent. "Here, you will need clothes, even if it is summertime, young man." He tossed a green tunic at his son, which the blonde youth tugged on; out dropped a pointed hat from its folds. Link looked at it with apprehension. His father chucked a bit.

"I understand it's quite in style," he said, trying to reassure his son.

In style about fifty years ago was Link's estimate.

"Wear it. The nights get cool," his father ordered briskly, stuffing a rucksack. "There are supplies for a few days' journey, and..." Somewhat reluctantly, he pulled out a bundle from behind his back and handed it to Link. Curious, the youth took it and unwrapped it, and nearly dropped what was inside in awe.

A sword, mid-size for him, lay sheathed on the brown cloth.

Reverently, Link drew the sword from its scabbard and admired the way it flashed in the lamplight, reflecting the light perfectly. It looked newly polished, although the scabbard was quite old.

"It's been handed down in the family for ages," explained his father quietly. "My father received it from his father, who gave it to me, and I in turn am giving it to you. I pray you don't need it."

Abruptly Link embraced the aging man. His father returned the hug swiftly, and then pushed him playfully away.

"You've grown up," he said approvingly, but then, more seriously: "You don't have a lot of time, I think. It's dawn. Get going."

Link nodded, standing up and exiting the tent in one smooth movement. As he walked out of camp, the sun cracked over the horizon, shedding golden light on the joyful land. Birds sang out the thrill of the dawn, and the grass shone with dew, breaking the light into a million shards of color. Link descended down the hill, heading west with his back to the sunrise.


	4. Chapter 3: Skyhaven

Opia-fire: Lol, he certainly has. Even if he doesn't like it. I'm trying not to follow the typical Zelda plot too faithfully, while still including certain elements that make it a tradition... see if you can find them. :) And don't worry, Jason plays a pretty big role.

I hope I can catch more reviewers soon!

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The team was encamped a little ways into a series of mountain ranges that edged the lands. He would have to walk around the mountain and up a little to reach the valley that the great hub of life was situated in. It might have been easier to go up and down again, but the passes were treacherous this time of the year after the snowmelt, when rockslides were common without any ice to hold the stones in place, and high winds buffered the peaks to make it feel like winter in the depth of summer.

Before him Link could see the great plains of Hyrule spread out before him, stretching as far as he could see and beyond. He had never gone far west, where he heard a great ocean lay lapping at the shores of the land, and green forests edged the borders. To the north the land was hospitable for many miles before it became cold and desolate, the frigid wind whistling across empty tundra, ending with impassible mountains that none had ever managed to climb. Many thought to the north lay the end of the world.

The south was the opposite extreme. It became warmer the further you went, and though the land was rich in mineral resources, it was a desert, harsh and desolate save for the few who were crazy and hardy enough to survive. They lived only on the fringes of the desert themselves; none knew of any who had ventured deeper in and survived.

So he walked through Hyrule, with a sense that he had done this before long ago, the feeling of déjà vu that had been increasing, but he could not remember where it had come from.

Before long, perhaps not three hours into his journey, he heard wagon wheels creaking gently behind him. It came as no surprise; this was a well-used path to the main city, and merchants or travelers often traversed its dusty length. He turned to see who the wagon belonged to.

"Link!" A tall, auburn-haired girl stood up in the wagon seat to wave at him. She wore a dusty blue dress much worn from traveling and work, but even so she looked pretty in it as the sun shone down upon the wagon, lighting up her hair and making it look like spun gold. Link smiled cheerily; he recognized her.

"It's Cylia! Hey!" she called. He waited until she had drawn the wagon – pulled by thick-legged farm horses – up to him, and then swung up.

She peered at him. "Interesting clothes, that. Love the hat."

Link flushed. He hadn't asked to wear it; his father had forced it on him. Cylia laughed and changed the subject.

"Didn't think I would find you away from your archaeology!" she said lightly, pleased to see him. Link grimaced. It was all hard work and little pay.

She laughed at that. "Aw, don't worry; I'm sure you'll find something." Link raised his eyebrows; as a matter of fact, they already had.

"You did?" Cylia's eyes went wide with wonder. "What was it? Did you find any treasure? Any long lost legends of what this land used to be? The elders say this land used to be covered in water, but even before that it was a land like it was today, thousands and thousands of years ago."

Link knew this tale, but it stirred something within him each time he heard it. He settled back and listened.

Cylia closed her eyes. "'Long before we were cursed by the gods, who brought the waters of this land to rise and cover everything with a great sea, there was an ancient land blessed and prosperous. A golden age pervaded the world, and everything was at peace and content.

'But from the south and east, a great evil arose. It spread like a storm across the peaceful land, threatening to destroy everything forever and leave only scattered ashes in its wake so that it might reign over everything.

'In the darkest hour, the people of the land cried for help, and the gods answered: a hero, wielding a legendary sword with one hand and the powers of the gods with the other, drove out the evil with the forces of light. So the evil crept under the earth to hide and bide its time, waiting for peace to make the people slow and accustomed to serenity.

'One day, the evil deemed its time was again at hand. It rose from its hiding and broke free of the seals the hero had placed over it. Once again it threatened to cover the lands in a second darkness, one from which there was no escape. The people called on the gods for help, hoping the hero would come to save them again. But the hero did not appear.'"

Link shivered. Why hadn't the hero come back to save the people? Because of his absence, the evil the tale spoke of almost destroyed the world. For reasons he could not fathom, he felt... guilty. As if he had been the hero, off somewhere else while the world lay in darkness and despair, and come back too late to make a difference.

Cylia finished the tale while he was still lost in thought. She smiled at him.

"But you already knew all that, as much as you might like hearing it again." She laughed. "And you still haven't told me what you found!"

Link jerked back to reality. The crypt... well, it was more like a place of worship. But whoever had worshiped there had never seen the light. It was a place of shadow, dedicated to the dark forces beneath the earth.

Cylia looked uneasy. "How big is it?"

Link couldn't remember. It was a huge place... and full of night... they shouldn't have disturbed it. Something evil was in there, and he feared that they... no, he, had released it. A shadow passed over the wagon, and they looked up, but it was only a small cloud over the sun.

Cylia laughed abruptly, and the sun returned. "I'll bet it's just your overactive imagination, as usual." She patted him gently on the back, and Link relaxed, only just realizing that he was tense and close to holding his breath.

"Don't worry." She squeezed his hand and then turned to the reins. "I'm delivering milk and cheese from the ranch. We're almost there. Will you need a ride back?"

Link considered. Seeing how Jason was... he'd need to get back as fast as possible. They quickly agreed on a meeting place as the road ended its upward slope and opened into a green valley. Sprawled beneath the two lay a large, thriving village, very nearly a city. It nested comfortably in the crook between two enormous mountains, the one on its left the largest in the entire range. Even within the valley it was the highest town about.

Skyhaven: home of the sky, and the center of the land.

The wagon rolled down the gentle slope towards the buzzing community, and noises of the marketplace drifted up on the warm summer air. The horses quickened their trot, sensing their destination was near. Soon they passed the outer gate of the wall that surrounded the city, meeting the guards' friendly waves with smiles. They passed many others, both in wagon, on horse, or on foot, traveling to and from the village. The houses got larger and larger until they emerged into the marketplace.

The square itself was huge, enclosing animals, people, and shops of all sorts. Many said all the world's people rolled into one could be seen here, and it certainly seemed true. They passed veiled southerners and sun-tanned western folk, as well as some of stocky built that looked to be more used to colder climes. All wore smiles or sometimes looks of irritation at the crowds, heat, or lost bargain. But the crowd was entirely Hylian this day: they looked human enough, with the distinctive Hylian pointed ears. Fewer and fewer non-Hylian species were sighted these days, and some feared they had died out together.

Cylia stopped the wagon at a place where she could secure the horses. "There's a potion shop not too far from here. It's next to the butcher's, and I'll be going there in a bit. I hope you find what you need." Link jumped down and waved goodbye as he set off through the crowded market. The hat he wore was uncomfortably warm – and drew some odd stares from the younger folk there – so he took it off and stuffed it in his tunic. The sword-hilt felt natural by his side, and he could almost picture himself as an adventurer, stopping by a familiar haven to load up on supplies for his next journey.

But he couldn't let idle dreams distract him from saving his brother.


	5. Chapter 4: A Dubious Cure

Opia-fire: You know I love you so much for the reviews. :) I have so very bad news, though. I'm going out of the country in less than a week, and I'm not nearly half-way through this story. Unfortunately, I'm staying there for a year, and it's doubtful that I'll be able to update. I'll put up as much as I have, and then you might... er, have to wait a year... You'll probably forget all about this, I know, but I just wanted to say thank you for being my only reader. :)

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He headed in the direction Cylia had pointed out and soon found the shop. Upon entering it, he was beset by a cloud of smoke that broiled up from one of the pots in the back. Coughing and hacking, he made his way out towards the counter. A girl with golden hair had her back to him, feverishly stirring the smoking potion. With a snort of disgust, she tossed water over it, and the smoke cleared. "Never got that right," she muttered, then heard his footsteps – or perhaps his choking – and whirled around.

"Oh, hello!" she greeted, with a smile and slight cough of her own. Her golden hair floated out like a halo about her. "Sorry about the mess in here, the old hag who usually sells potions is gone today." She clapped a hand over her mouth. "I mean – Mrs. Bakura! Anyway... how can I help you?" She gave him a sideways glance. "Please don't tell her I called her that."

Link grinned and shook his head. Then he turned grim. Would she be able to help his brother? They weren't sure what was wrong with him – he was pale and cold, and wouldn't respond to anything.

She listened thoughtfully to his description of Jason. "I don't know... it could be paralysis, but that isn't usually associated with cool skin and pallid complexion... hmm..." She ducked under the counter and came up with a large, dusty book, which she plopped on the counter, sending up a load of fine particles. Link coughed violently in the dust explosion, but she didn't notice, perhaps because she was coughing as well.

"Let's see... _cough_... symptoms... hmm." She thumbed through a number of pages while Link examined the shop. It was rather dim and musty, with vials stacked upon shelves, holding many questionable objects and murky-looking liquids. One beaker looked like it contained a small, glowing light, and when he reached up to examine it, she slapped his hand away.

"Fairy in a bottle costs fifty rupees, and you need your own bottle," she informed him, still looking through the book. "Money first, then item."

Link snorted. He hadn't wanted it, but he kept his hands to himself from then on.

"You haven't been messing with any old and dangerous magical objects lately, have you?" she asked, looking up from the book suddenly.

Link frowned. Well, they had been exploring some ruins, but he didn't think Jason had fooled with any magical artifacts. For some reason, he was reluctant to tell her about the shadow.

"Well, if it's not that, it might be possession... oh, no, the person's usually awake..." She went back to the book, muttering to herself. "Huh, I can figure this out; the hag isn't the only one who knows things..."

Link counted the money he'd been given. It wasn't too much... about two hundred rupees, and some of the items in the shop were more expensive than that. He hoped the potion didn't cost too much. The team hadn't found anything in a while, so their funds were running low. They'd have to wait until they could publicize their find to get more money.

"How about... have you explored some ancient and questionable tomb lately?" the blonde-haired girl asked, interrupting his musings.

As a matter of fact, they had. The place was... evil. Link shivered slightly even though it was warm, even uncomfortably hot, in the shop.

"Ah-ha! It might be a curse by a vengeful spirit then! The symptoms you've described match that of a curse. But... um..." She suddenly looked uncomfortable. "We don't carry the cure here."

Link looked aghast. Surely there must be something.

She shook her head. "The book here says that a musical melody has the power to wash curses away, but it doesn't even give the melody, or even what you're supposed to play it on. The only other thing it suggests is the help of a holy sage. We don't supply those either." Neither of them laughed at the half-hearted joke.

She slammed the book shut in frustration, sending up another dust storm that left them coughing violently. "This... _cough_... thing is as old as... _hack_... the mountains! That does it! _Cough_, I'm going to see Mrs. Bakura. Come with me." She coughed again but led him out of the shop and put a sign up saying it was closed for lunch. Then she dragged him into a back alley and knocked on an old door.

"Mrs. Bakura! I know it's your day off, but we've got problems!"

"Oh, hush girl, can't you do anything on your own?"

She flushed. "We don't carry supplies for curse cures."

"What did you say?" The door opened suddenly, and a bent old woman stared out of the dim house. She looked up at Link, twitching her long nose. "Can't help a customer? Cursed, you say? He looks fine to me."

"No, it's his brother," the lady's assistant sighed.

"Oh, well then, why didn't you say so? You, boy, come on in. Adelsa, go mind the shop for what few people you can help."

Adelsa looked furious, but thought better of saying anything and marched off. Link stepped uneasily into the old woman's house. It smelled musty and mysterious, and he thought he saw a bat flap in the rafters of the hazy room.

"How did your brother get cursed?" Mrs. Bakura asked briskly as she seated him on an old pouf chair. He tried not to cough in the dust that arose from his motions and explained about the tomb – worship place, really – they had found, reluctantly adding in the part about the evil shadow.

She tsked when he was done. "That was foolish to go exploring into such an old tomb. All the old stories say there's evil sealed away somewhere, and even if you don't believe it, young man, you'd do better to respect it." Link looked down at the ground, ashamed.

"But as they say, there's no use in crying over spilt milk. Now, did that useless girl of mine describe a cure for you?"

Link nodded. They either needed some sort of mystical melody or an ancient sage.

She laughed croakily. "Perhaps I was wrong to snap at Adelsa. She is right to come to me, for we do not carry such wares. However..." She leaned closer on the cushion she sat on. "I might be able to help you discover where to find such a thing. Now, when was your brother cursed?"

Link thought. It had been just last night, around midnight, to his estimate.

"Then, knowing how curses work, I'd estimate your brother has until the next full moon before the curse seizes him entirely and he's beyond our help. That gives you..." She peered at a dirty calendar on the wall. "Two weeks."

Link was dismayed. How could he possibly find a song or a sage in two years, let alone two weeks?

"Don't look so downcast. Besides, this whole mess is your responsibility, if I'm not mistaken, and you're going to have to take care of it." She got up, gripping the arm of his chair, and shuffled over to an ancient desk, which she pulled a drawer out of and began rummaging through papers. It did not take her long before she pulled out a sheaf bound together with rotting cord, which rustled as she brandished it. A few leaves of paper fell out, and Link picked them up. They were covered with strange symbols and writing that he could not read.

"That's writing from ancient times, that is," she chuckled, seeing his puzzlement. "Even I can only read a bit of it. They say it was old even when waters covered the earth, and that was long ago indeed." She flipped through it, muttering to herself. Link watched her curiously. Finally, she stopped at a page, read it to herself, and then handed it to him.

He took it. There was writing, sure enough, but there were also pictures. He could make out a figure playing some small instrument in one panel. Next to it, there was the same figure, but he was holding up his arms to the sky and there was rain pouring down. Finally, there was a sketch of a small, potato-shaped instrument he did not recognize.

"It's called an ocarina, boy," she said. "But that one there, that's special. See the Triforce marking on it? That's the Ocarina of Time. The Hero of Time used the Ocarina to make rain appear out of a cloudless sky, the inscription says. But it also says that the rain had the power to wash away curses."

Sort of like a song for storms, Link guessed.

"Exactly," Mrs. Bakura said. "However, it doesn't inscribe the actual song for us. It does tell us that the hero learned it first from a windmill, then, when he forgot it, from a ghost."

Link looked baffled. Was he supposed to go checking all windmills and tombs, then, looking for the song? Even to him it sounded ridiculous.

"I'm not sure what you'd do," the old woman admitted. "However, the Ocarina of Time was a treasured possession of the Royal Family of ancient millennia ago. They were one of the first families to rule Hyrule. Tales say that the legendary Princess Zelda was a member of the Royal Family, and that she gave the Ocarina to the Hero of Time. If someone found their tomb, it might be worth searching..."

A thought struck Link. His father had at first thought the evil temple had been a tomb. Suppose there were other places around the site that might be graves...?

The old woman smiled. "Now you have it." She put the papers back together, gently, and placed them reverently in the desk drawer. "Now..." she added, as he stood to go, "would you do me one last favor?"

Anything she wanted, Link would do. He realized he had to pay and brought out the wallet full of rupees.

The old lady shook her head and pushed it away. "You never bought anything from us."

Link smiled gratefully. She continued, "Take Adelsa with you would you?"

He gave her a dumbfounded look. She laughed. "That girl is chafing with me, I know. Calls me 'old hag' behind my back. Don't think I don't hear it!" she added, seeing Link turn red. "It'll give her a chance to prove herself useful and hone her skills. Not to mention you might need someone who knows something about medicine to help your brother if you do find a cure."

Link considered. Having her with him might slow him down a bit, but she was a healer, even an apprentice one, and that was better than nothing if he failed.

"You won't fail, young man," said the old woman softly. "I don't think so. Go now, and may the gods be with you, Link."

Link was out the door and back in the main marketplace before he realized that he'd never told her his name.


	6. Chapter 5: The Shadow Beast

metriodprime: Yay! New reader! Thank you so much:) I'm sorry I have to disappoint you by going off in the middle of the story, but... yeah... (see previous Author's Notes)

fallenavalon: Old reader returns:) It's okay if you don't post so often (I know I don't myself) but it's great to know there are people out here reading this story. Sorry if Link's way of talking is confusing. I know often in fanfics peopel just have him talk, and I always think, well, he never talks in the game, soI thought I'd try it this way. Here's a general rule of thumb: If people respond, he was saying something, and if they don't, he was thinking it. Although there's really not that much of a difference. And thanks, I appreciate your comments. On Adelsa... eh... who knows? We'll see...

Opia-fire:) I'd do other emoticons ifI could, but most of them don't make it through the site. I can't even write the site's name. -sigh- For you and others who might've been curious, I leave for Mexico at 8:45 AM on Saturday. I'll get there around 5 PM the same day... and then... a year, or 11 months, staying there. That's why this is likely the second-to-last chapter I'll post here (the next one will be up tomorrow). Thanks for all the much-welcomed reviews, everyone.

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"Did you get any help? Oh, if she couldn't, after the way she told me off..." muttered Adelsa rebelliously as he walked in the shop. Link assured her that she had helped him, much to her chagrin, and also that she'd told him to bring her with.

"She what?" asked Adelsa incredibly. "Is she firing me? Am I that bad?"

Link hastily corrected her, adding that the old woman had said she was wrong to chasten her. She had said that he needed Adelsa's expertise.

"Oh... well, that's better, I guess. Are you sure?"

He nodded.

"All right, then. I could use a change of scenery in any case."

Link grinned and waited for her to close the shop down, and then led her out into the marketplace. By now the sun was hidden behind the clouds, and it was late afternoon. Cylia waved to him from the horse stall as she saw him come out with Adelsa.

"Heya, Link! Find what you need for? Did you want a ride... oh," she said suddenly as Adelsa followed him to the wagon. "Um... who is that?"

"My name's Adelsa," she said warily, staying by Link's side. Cylia's cheeks turned a faint shade of pink.

"I see how it is," she said crossly. "Well, are you..." She trailed off, the blush draining from her cheeks as she stared at something behind them. "Gods! Link! Look out!"

Link looked around in time to see something huge and dark charging through the crowds. People were screaming and running out of the way in panic, but it paid them no heed. It was aiming straight for the horse stalls – aiming straight for Link.

Cylia screamed, and Adelsa jumped back in fright. Link drew his sword and leaped in front of them, between the girls and the monster.

"Link! No!" Cylia yelled as the monster continued charging without slowing. "Run! Take the horse and run!"

Link gauged the size of the monster and the feel of his trembling legs and decided she was right. Without another thought, he swung up on the horse that wasn't hitched to the wagon and kicked it hard. It reared with a snort and saw the beast. Screaming, it nearly bucked him off, and fled in the opposite direction. The shadow-monster was forced to make a last second course change and barely avoided smashing into the stalls where panicked horses were yanking at their tethers and struggling to get away from the source of horror.

Link shot out of town like an arrow, but the monster was right behind him. He held his sword in one hand and the reins in the other as he turned back to see the shadow gaining on him. Evil emanated from it like a freezing wind, and his insides shriveled. How would he fight something like that? But he would have to, for the barn horse wasn't all that fast and the shadow-beast was getting closer.

The horse was struggling now on rough terrain as it charged up the mountainside, the whites of its eyes showing in its terror. Suddenly the poor animal slipped on several loose stones, and it lost its balance, rolling over and down, crushing its rider beneath.

Link gave a great yell before the wind was smashed out of him. He fell out of the saddle, still clutching his sword in a death grip, and lay gasping on the mountainside as the horse righted itself and ran off in the other direction, foaming at the mouth. The shadow-beast paid it no attention. It advanced on the fallen youth.

Link pushed himself upright, shaking, and held his sword before him. Its shine, once so strong in the tent when he'd first seen it, died before this monstrosity born of the night. The thing was indefinable, shaped like a hideous four-legged creature with wicked claws of midnight and eyes like an empty starless void. In an instant, he knew this was the shadow he'd released, and knew he could not last. He held the sword tip still, unwavering, pointed at the beast, knowing now he'd at least die trying.

The monster swiped at him. He swung his sword to block, and it bounced off the creature's hand with a dull ringing sound. The weapon shivered violently in his hands, and he dropped it, shouting with the pain of the vibration.

The beast leaned back to strike once more, to finish him – and paused. Suddenly a ray of sunshine shot out through the clouds onto the monster, and it growled in pain, a low tremor that shook the earth. Snarling, it leaped backwards and ran down the mountainside, leaving Link gasping and panting at his near brush with death.

Slowly, he picked up his sword, still not believing that he was alive. Had sunshine really stopped the beast? Blessing his luck, he began to walk back down towards the town.

"Link! Link, are you all right?" Cylia was riding the second farm horse, with Adelsa clinging behind her, out of town towards him. She reined in the brown animal to a stop next to the exhausted youth.

Link nodded to show he was fine, but he was tired and on top of that, he had lost her horse. He apologized.

"Oh, it's no big deal," Cylia said lightly. "He'll come back. I can see him grazing on the mountainside over there." She gave a sharp whistle and the horse's head perked up. It stopped grazing and galloped over to where they were. Link swung himself up again – the horse was calm – and they rode back into Skyhaven.

"Did you defeat the monster?" asked Adelsa. "We saw it run off!"

Link blinked. He wasn't quite sure, to tell the truth. It had run when it was about to kill him. Sunlight seemed to have really bothered it.

"That's weird..." said Cylia. "But I'm glad you're safe. I'll bet you'll want a ride now." She smiled. Adelsa rolled her eyes behind her back but said nothing. Link didn't notice.

The townspeople gave them a wider berth than they normally gave horseback riders. Most had seen the monster go after the young man in green, and they didn't want it following him back.

"We should get out now," said Adelsa quietly.

"Yes, let's." Cylia hitched the horses to the wagon efficiently and they were soon on their way out of Skyhaven and headed for the pass in the mountains. The sun dipped behind the horizon, and soon their path was shrouded in shadow.

Link glanced nervously about. He hadn't hurt the shadow-beast at all, and there was no telling when it might return. The fall of darkness could only increase the risk. Adelsa, sensing his nervousness, glanced at him, but said nothing.

They came to a fork in the road as the moon began to rise. "I have to go this way to the ranch," Cylia said regretfully. "Will you be all right on your own now?"

"It's no problem," said Adelsa. "Thanks." Link nodded. They would go a lot slower on foot, he knew, but at least Cylia would be out of danger.

"Well, see you later." She clucked to the horses and they trotted off, pulling the rickety wagon behind. Link and Adelsa turned down the path that led into the shadow of the mountains.

"Um... how far away is your camp?" asked Adelsa somewhat nervously after they had been walking for a couple of hours.

Link, too, did not like the darkness. The camp was nearby, he knew, but he couldn't see any lights. He hoped they hadn't made a wrong turn in the night.

"I thought you knew where you were going!" accused Adelsa. Link felt irritated. Of course he knew, but it was after midnight. They might not have any lights on this late at night – or this early in the morning.

The golden-haired girl opened her mouth, probably to make another cutting remark or complaint, when they topped the ridge they had been climbing and she stopped abruptly. Link breathed a sigh of relief. Up the hill ahead lay twinkling lights, shining cheerily and driving off darkness to mark the campsite. He very nearly told Adelsa that he'd said so.

"Never mind," she muttered. "I'm just glad we're back in civilization." She voiced his own thoughts as they headed quickly towards the site.

The camp didn't stir as they entered the light cast by the lanterns that were posted on the perimeter of the cluster of tents. Link led Adelsa to his father's tent, but stopped outside as he heard the sound of snoring.

"I think we should wait until morning," his companion whispered softly. "It's not going to hurt, and we won't be digging up any graves in the dark."

Reluctantly Link agreed, and he showed her to his tent. He gave her a spare bedroll and rolled himself up in a blanket just outside the entrance. She didn't say a word of gratitude for his sacrifice, just curled up and went to sleep almost instantly. Jason was lying in his father's tent, so they could not see him just yet.

Link stared at the countless stars glimmering above, like holes into some shining universe made of light that the dark sky veiled. It took him a long time to get to sleep, and the moon had set before his eyes finally slipped shut.


	7. Chapter 6: Buried Treasure

"Link! My son, you're back!"

Link was abruptly shaken into wakefulness far earlier than he would have liked. It seemed that he had only just shut his eyes. He knew his father was there beaming above him, but right now he wanted to stick his head under the pillow and go back to sleep. It wasn't even 0800 yet, judging by the sun.

"Don't do that, now!" His dad snatched the pillow away from him and threw the blankets off him. "Not only do you return in the middle of the night, there's a girl in your tent! What on earth have you been doing, hm?"

At that, Link shot up, his face beet red. They hadn't done anything! Adelsa was here to help with Jason.

"So her name's Adelsa, is it?" His father cast him a sidelong look. "Well, she's an even heavier sleeper than you are, because I shook her for five minutes and she never responded. Still, I'm glad she's here to help. Jason hasn't gotten any worse, but he's not any better either. Just... unchanged. Lying there still as death." He realized the import of his words and quickly made the sign against evil in the air with his finger.

Link sighed. He'd have to get her up. He apologized for worrying his father, but he and Adelsa hadn't wanted to wake him after midnight.

"Nonsense! I wouldn't have minded. I'm just glad you're home." He managed to ruffle Link's hair as he ducked inside the tent. "I notice you're not wearing your hat!" he called after him.

Link privately vowed to hide the thing as soon as he found a convenient place. In the meantime, he crawled to Adelsa's side and shook her. It was as his father said – she kept on sleeping.

He sat back and pondered. He didn't want to shout at her, as he feared that would end unpleasantly, but what else could he do? As he thought he hummed absently, a little tune he'd made up when he was bored. He always sang it when he was thinking or working with little to occupy his mind.

Adelsa's eyes shot open. They were a curious shade of blue – almost like chips of sky. "No, father!"

Link jumped back in alarm. Her eyes focused, and she relaxed. Then her eyes narrowed. "What are you doing in my tent? I'm not even dressed!" The last word ended in a shriek. She reached for her pillow, probably to beat him over the head with. He hurried out before she could have a chance to aim.

His father chuckled outside. "Sounds like she's awake. We'll have a fine meal prepared, don't you fear." The camp was already moving, bustling with activity and various men going about, tending the fire, cooking breakfast, or hauling items back and forth from dig sites to storage. It looked like they had already begun excavating the tomb, but there were precious few items taken out.

"We didn't want to disturb many things," said his father, seeing his gaze. "It's best left preserved as it is. The pictures we've taken are incredible, and there are so many things to discover even though we haven't gone further than the throat of the carved beast in the main hall. And we still have yet to open the locked door!" His own eyes, brown and green providing a contrast to his son's clear blue, shone with excitement.

Soon Adelsa came out of the tent, dressed in loose khaki pants and a white blouse. She was tying back her waist-length hair on top of her head. "Smells good! Is that breakfast?"

"It is indeed," Link's father assured her, offering his arm courteously. "Please give me the pleasure of your company at our rather small table."

Adelsa giggled. "I'd be honored." She took the proffered arm and shot Link a brief glance, as if to say, _You never did anything like this._ Link sighed and followed.

They sat around a small but merry campfire. One of the men, a skilled cook with dark hair and tanned skin, deftly flipped pancakes in a griddle that was spread atop the fire and balanced on top of several sturdy rocks. He handed a plate of steaming golden-brown cakes to Adelsa.

"Here you go, miss." He smiled.

"Thank you!" Her eyes shone as she tucked in. Link suppressed a chuckle as he received his own plate. There was a little syrup and some butter too, and those condiments were passed around. For a while there was no sound save the sizzling of the griddle, the crackling of the fire, and the chewing of the diners.

When they were all content, Link's father turned to Adelsa. "Sorry for not introducing myself earlier! I'm Diron, Link and Jason's father. I understand your name is Adelsa?"

"It is indeed. It's a pleasure to meet you," said Adelsa, shaking the proffered hand. Now her manner became brisk and businesslike. "I understand your son Jason is cursed?"

"That's right," Diron said sadly.

"Let me have a look at him."

His father led them to his tent and opened the flap. "Have a look."

Adelsa knelt next to the blankets piled on top of Jason and pushed them aside for a closer look. Jason's skin was cold to the touch and white, but his black hair stuck in strands to his face from the sweat on his brow. When Adelsa peeled up an eyelid, no trace of green could be seen – his eyes were rolled all the way back into his head. Link shivered.

"He's not too bad, for a curse victim," pronounced Adelsa. "It gets bad once he starts convulsing in fits. Sometimes curses will control the victim as if they are possessed, and they usually break everything in sight, even the restraints they are placed under. Those cases are very rare though," she added hastily, seeing the look on Link and Diron's face. "I read up on them. I'm sure he has about two weeks."

"Does that mean you know of a cure for him?" asked Jason's father eagerly.

"Well..." Adelsa looked a bit guilty. "I know the cure, yes, but it's difficult to find. In fact, that's why I'm here. Link, what did Mrs. Bakura tell you?"

Link explained to his father what they had to do. Diron listened intently, his face dark in thought.

"Right," he declared when Link was finished, "we'll begin digging up the entire site! If we can find that grave with the cure, it'll be worth missing the chance to study the tomb for a while. Which I have, in fact, dubbed a temple, since it was a worship place. The Temple of Shadows. Isn't that a fitting name?"

Link gave him a look.

"All right, all right." His father exited the tent, and soon they could hear him shouting orders to his men, who responded with their usual rapid enthusiasm. Sometimes Link thought they were all a little crazy for digging.

"We'd better help too, you know," said Adelsa as she got up to get out. "It'll go faster that way."

Link groaned and followed her.


	8. Chapter 7: Legacy of the Past

Ah… hello! It's been quite a while! I know that I had former readers and reviewers, and if they're all gone, well, I have more or less disappeared. But I never forgot this story—and I am intent on finishing it. So if there are new readers here, you know right now that you can expect serious delays. But I finish stories I start. It just often takes me a while.

* * *

**Chapter 7: Legacy of the Past**

Four hot and tiring hours later, they had indeed turned up several graves close by the tomb, but none of them appeared to hold anything out of the ordinary, much less a musical instrument. Link leaned on his shovel as he took a gulp of water, thinking longingly of the shady tent and wishing Jason was here to help. But Jason was the reason they were digging, so he set the flask down and dug some more into the grave he'd uncovered. A few feet further down, he discovered a few hardened bones that must have been ancient, for there were only bits and pieces left. But there was nothing else.

Adelsa peered around at the site. "The graves appear to be laid out in some sort of pattern... see, you can see this was a row, it ends right here, and then further down there's another row... why don't we try digging a little closer to the temple? Look, there's a whole strip of land that looks the right size for a row that we haven't touched."

Link went over to where she pointed and wearily dug his spade into the loose earth of the soil. It bit deep, and he flung out a load of dirt and stuck it in again. Sink and throw, sink and throw, over and over again until the monotony of the job began to blend the minutes together before his eyes, and it was all a blur of sunlight and damp earth. So he wasn't really paying attention when his shovel abruptly hit stone. Something cracked, and he was caught off balance and nearly fell upon the spade, managing to twist sideways and merely land on his rump. His father and Adelsa came running immediately.

"You found something!" Diron exclaimed excitedly.

At least, he thought he had. Link cleared away more of the earth, revealing a slanted tombstone that was worn with the weather it must have endured for years before it was buried. On its gray stone face were carved ancient runes that looked almost identical to the writing Link had glimpsed in Mrs. Bakura's papers.

"Ooh, you've found something now, m'boy! This script is ancient Hylian writing! Fascinating, even though there's so little of it... no one's managed to translate it now, the language was lost long ago... come, let's dig under this grave, see if we can't find anything."

The other team members came over to help them, but half an hour's excavation revealed nothing save for another bit of bone and a curiously preserved wand. Link's fingers tingled as he pulled it gently out of the musty earth.

"Ah-ha! Hm... very curious... curious indeed..." Diron muttered to himself. "This seems to be surrounded by some sort of ancient magic, no doubt the reason for its survival... maybe it's a magic wand?"

"Looks more like a baton," remarked Adelsa. "The kind you use to conduct music."

"A conductor's baton! How very odd! But what would that be doing in a grave, and so well-preserved?" asked Diron. But then he answered his own question, thinking out loud, "Well, of course, it could be the grave of an ancient director of music, but to go to the trouble of preserving his baton? Well, each man has something he's loathe to part with."

"Guess the cure's not here," sighed Adelsa. "Some of the men dug right next to this and found nothing. This might be the only grave on this row."

Link shook his head. That didn't fit the pattern. They had to try digging further out. Maybe the spacing had changed, that was all.

"All right. Lead the way," said Adelsa mockingly, gesturing with her shovel. As Link marched past her, he heard her mutter, "I almost wish I was back in the shop... almost. At least I can do this."

He suppressed a smile and dug on.

Half an hour later, they were about to call it quits when Adelsa's shovel struck stone. Eagerly the team cleared away the dirt from the latest headstone. It was quite large, much larger than the others, and Diron's hands almost trembled with excitement.

"Look at the Hylian characters on this!" he cried. "I've studied some of it, and from what I can tell, this was royalty. Do you realize we might have stumbled on the tomb of the legendary Royal Family itself?"

Link's eyes widened. The Royal Family... charged with possession of the Ocarina of Time...

Adelsa's eyes sparkled with excitement. "What are we waiting for? Let's explore it!"

After clearing a space around the grave, they discovered a shaft in the ground that had been blocked for some time, but plunged down to the earth when they uncovered it. One of the researchers produced a length of rope, and Link went first down into the darkness, carrying a lantern.

Finally his feet touched hard stone, and he let go of the rope. The musty smell of the long-abandoned grave assaulted his nose. He thought of bones lying pale and still in the dark earth, and of wind blowing through tatters of cloth that shrouded a once-magnificent throne of the dead.

Shaking off morbid images, he ventured forward. Behind him, Adelsa slid down the rope, and after her came Diron.

The two gazed around in awe. "I can't even begin to imagine how old this is," breathed Diron. "Perhaps we might even be able to glimpse the coffin of the King of the Royal Family, or Princess Zelda herself!"

"Do you think they would have buried the Hero of Time here?" asked Adelsa, looking about in mixed interest and dread.

Link felt a strange curiosity upon hearing that name, a certain longing to know more. As he thought this, the path sloped downward steeply, and before long his boots splashed into water. Diron came forward to look.

"I don't think it's that deep," he pronounced, taking a few steps into it. Sure enough, the ground leveled out, and the passage opened up into a large square cavern. When Link held the lantern up to the walls, they gleamed faintly blue in the ghostly light. To each side was a passage leading into darkness, and ahead of them was a platform built into the wall. At the top of the steps on the platform was a door. It was barred with long metal bars.

"Look, there are bones here." Adelsa shuddered as she steered clear of the scattered skeletons that lay on either side of the walls.

Link noticed torches on the platform standing unlit. Jumping up the stairs, he used the lantern's flame to light them. Although the bedding was wet, it still caught, and the torches shed more light on the cavern immediately.

"Smart of you, Link," said Diron approvingly. "Let's explore these passages, shall we?"

They chose the one on the left first. It opened up into a smaller chamber with ancient inscriptions covering the walls. Various small treasures were stacked neatly around the sides. In the center lay a single stone coffin. A shaft was cut into the ceiling to allow light to enter the tomb from above, but it must have been blocked, because no light illuminated the place of death.

"Oh!" Diron breathed, coming reverently up to the tomb. He studied the figures on the lid for a while, and the only sound was the soft plinking of water falling from the ceiling into the pools below.

"I believe that this is the tomb of Princess Zelda," he said softly after a few minutes. "The inscriptions on the wall give a description of her life."

Adelsa came up and touched the coffin briefly, as if it was a sacred thing. Then, suddenly embarrassed, she straightened and began looking through the treasures at the sides of the room.

"You're looking for an ocarina, right?" she asked Link. "This would be as good a place as any to look."

The three of them sorted through the tomb's treasures. Although they found swords, rupees, and tattered remnants of books, there were no ocarinas.

"Huh," said Diron, disappointed. "Well, there's still the other passage."

The other room was almost identical to the one on the left. This time, however, there were more treasures piled around the sides – a variety of weapons, bottles, rupees, and other items lay there, some preserved, others in derelict condition. There were pictures on the lid instead of inscriptions, depicting a figure fighting another larger man, playing an instrument, riding a horse, shooting a bow.

Link knew instinctively that they were in the tomb of the Hero of Time.

Diron walked up to the coffin and traced the carvings with one finger, reverently. "There's no doubt about it, Link. This is the final resting place of the legendary Hero of Time." He bowed his head. Adelsa and Link did the same.

Emotions that he could not identify surged through Link, leaving him feeling breathless, full of a strange energy, and with a terrible sense of foreboding. The tomb suddenly seemed oppressive and dark, despite the light from their lanterns, light that was now feeble and weak against the onslaught of shadows. But then, he gazed upon the coffin, seeing it truly for the first time. The scenes depicted on it seemed familiar, as if he had done them his entire life. The coffin filled his vision, and a gentle feeling emanated from it, a sort of softness, recognition.

_This was where he belonged._

Startled by the sudden thought that came out of nowhere, Link shook himself out of the reverie. The coffin looked normal again, but that feeling of reassurance remained.

"Link, we should look to see if what you seek is here..." said Diron softly. "But we will disturb it no more than is necessary."

They began the process of delicately sifting through the treasures there, and Link handled each one as though they were eggs. Swords of all shapes and sizes, bows with gilded engravings, precious glittering rupees, and a few odd things that Link had never before seen in his life – a thing with a hook attached to a chain, and several carefully constructed mice heads.

But when they were done, Link was forced to admit one thing – no Ocarina existed in this tomb.

"But... but this is impossible! If, like you said, the Hero once played such an instrument, it must be here!" cried Link's father. Link heard the note of desperation in his voice and bowed his head in shame. Adelsa looked worried and confused.

"Would... would he have it with him, on his... person?" she ventured, gesturing at the coffin.

Link shook his head firmly, suddenly. He knew it was not there.

"Wait... that barred door! There must be more of the tomb!" realized Diron, and ran out the entrance. His son, startled by his reaction, snatched up a sword from the tomb, out of some unconscious instinct, and headed after the rushing man.

As Link followed, the dreadful sense of foreboding swept him again, away from the presence of the coffin of the Hero of Time. He hurried, splashing into the main chamber, but it was too late. His father had already enlisted three men from the excavation team, and they were together prying away the bars. One, two, three, four – they bent and gave before the mighty pressure that the men exerted on the crowbars they had brought with them. With a last heave, the bars were bent aside, and the door was opened.

No! Link ran after his father as he descended down the tunnel from the door, and Adelsa was on his heels.

They emerged, splashing in shallow water, into an underground chamber – and froze.

An eerie howling like nothing ever heard before beneath the light and wind of the upper world filled their ears. It rooted them to the spot with terror; the blind terror of prey hunted by a killer many times its own strength, prey that knows its end is near and ceases to function. The lantern dropped from Diron's numbed hands, but by its light they could see... _something_ emerge out of the shadows towards them, stumbling and shambling as if it could not coordinate its limbs properly.

It had a vaguely human form – upright, two arms, two legs, and a head – but there the resemblance ended. Its skin was brown and dead, a thing of the darkness past, wandering where no living being should exist. Bits of flesh, long free of life that once clung to it, dropped off as it walked – shuffled – towards the paralyzed trio. Where its eyes might have once been there were only empty sockets, and its mouth – a round open hole gaping into unimaginable dark depths where light died and stars faded, the sun was snuffed out and the moon vanished. It ate every sense of good and happiness around it to fill the gaping void within and longed for more. From that deathly hole emerged the chilling cry. Its empty eyes were fixed on the frozen figures. Link felt the gaze piercing his very soul, pressing him to the spot, leaving him transfixed in eternal night...

_No!_ From his own mouth emerged a wordless cry, and he leaped forward with the sword to cleave that terrifying face in two. The crying stopped abruptly, and Diron and Adelsa stumbled forward, released from the paralysis. But a deathly moaning pervaded the chamber still, and Link realized with a sick feeling that there were more...

"We must get out!" screamed Adelsa in terror. Diron could not speak but nodded mutely, and the three turned to run when suddenly the blond-haired girl, who was in the lead, turned whiter than pale gravestone, and they were frozen to the spot again as another undead, this one like the first, shambled forward from the shadows next to the tunnel leading up.

It came closer, and closer still, and Link still could not move. He could see his father's lips moving in prayer to silent gods, and the stark terror on Adelsa's face as she looked into the unending depths of night that were the undead's eyes. And then suddenly, the pressure was gone – the undead leaped onto Adelsa, who it was closest to, with frightening speed, and pressed its face to hers, as if to kiss her – but its mouth widened horribly, and enveloped her features, and began to feed.

In a rage, Link struck at the thing with his sword, slicing deep along its dead flesh, opening up a bloodless wound. It let go of Adelsa, who crumpled to the floor, and turned to him, but with another blow he sliced off its head. The dead thing collapsed soundlessly to the floor. And still the moaning echoed in their ears...

Link scooped up Adelsa and grabbed his father's hand and sprinted out of that tomb of death, out through the chamber, and up the rope, with the unconscious girl on his shoulders and his father right behind, and did not stop until they were outside the tomb, underneath the warm sun and the soft breeze, collapsing on green living grass.

They lay there, panting, back in the world of light and breath and life, underneath the azure sky studded with white pearly clouds. The world of night, the dark depths of hell were behind, and the horrors dissipated in the warm afternoon sunlight.

The rest of the team gathered in shock around them – brave men as they were, they had fled the tomb after they had heard the eerie moaning.

"Sir..." said one quietly after Link and his father had recovered. "That... place, is not for us, the living. We should... cover it up, as it was meant to be. The gods buried this for a reason."

His father was too shaken by the encounter, and could only wordlessly nod. Link turned worriedly to Adelsa, who had not stirred. There was not a mark upon her, except her pale, cold skin, and a... transparency about her, as if she was beginning to become incorporeal.

No... she couldn't be dead... the... thing only had her for a matter of seconds... he placed a hand on her icy brow and closed his eyes. The sun shone down... birds sang in the trees... grass waved in the wind. The breeze stirred her golden hair, and warmth blossomed beneath his hand. She shuddered, and her skin colored suddenly, and her eyes flickered open. The blue was dull at first, but as they reflected the azure sky above, life returned to the brilliant irises.

"Darkness... cold... death... but the sky is so blue," she said wonderingly.

Link agreed, reflecting on how they could have taken such a thing for granted.

"And... there's light... but... what happened?" She sat up, but then screamed and clawed at her face as if trying to get something off it. Link saw her skin pale again as she gouged scarlet furrows in her white cheeks. He grabbed her hands instantly, alarmed, and the team jumped away as she struggled momentarily. Then a bird called somewhere, clear and true, and she relaxed. Crimson trickled down her cheeks, and she reached a tentative hand up to touch it.

"Please, Adelsa, don't hurt yourself... you're safe," croaked Diron, his voice sounding as if it came from the crypt. He jumped a little at its sound and cleared his throat. "Gods above... I am so sorry..." He buried his head in his hands. "This is all my fault..."

Link laid a delicate hand gently on his father's tanned one. The other he kept firmly on Adelsa's wrist, in case she tried anything else again. They both looked at him.

"You saved us..." murmured the girl, adding even more softly, "...saved me..." His father's eyes shone with gratitude, the thankfulness of a man who has been condemned to death only to discover, as his head is laid on the chopping block, that he is innocent.

Link turned beet red and became intently interested in an ant that was crawling over the toe of his dirt-stained boot.

One of the team members handed Adelsa a damp cloth and some soap to clean her scratches. She accepted them gratefully, and the others decided that they could use a good washing, as well.

After they had scrubbed off the grime of the tomb, they returned to find that the men had already filled in the hole of the grave that they had climbed out of. Link saw his father about to protest, perhaps out of habit, but a quick glance at Adelsa seemed to make him think better of it, and he said nothing. Link realized that he still had the sword he had taken from the tomb of the Hero of Time. Cleaning it quickly, he took a look at it for the first time, and wondered why of all things he had grabbed this, although it was fortunate that he had.

It was long, far longer than any normal sword, and was heavier than he had realized in his panic, for he had to use two hands to wield it. The hilt and pommel were plain, although the blade was obviously of high craftsmanship, for when he swung experimentally at a nearby log, it was sliced neatly in two with barely a splinter, and the blade shone bright as ever without a scratch.

"Did you take that from the tomb?" asked Diron. Link nodded. An odd look came over his father's face, but all he said was, "Take good care of it, then. It's as good as new, it seems, and it will probably cut truer than the one I gave to you."

Link nodded, and stored it away for now. As the sun set, a general unease settled over the came. But night came and went uneventfully, and they were no closer to finding a cure.


End file.
